Basque country

The wife and I are going for 5-7 days in March. Can rent a car once there. Might get the ferry one way, fly the other.

This trip will not involve bikes.

Looking to maybe see Bilbao, San Sebastian and some nice countryside.

Tips?

Martin Berasategui

Best meal I have ever eaten.

Food in San sebastian, Vitoria old town I v nice. Climb a mountain. Funicular in Bilbao worth goin up. Learn how to say hi and thank you in Basque the locals will love it, you can use Spanish at all other times. People generally like English people or are keen to chat in English.

If you want to eat at specific restaurants then book now.

Martin Berasategui produces beautiful food, but you'll be hard-pressed to find terrible food in the Basque country - it's an obsession.

The bar food is off the chart. Have a small glass of red 'tinto' or beer 'cana' and a few 'pintxos' then stroll to the next bar and repeat.

I've spent many a weekend doing this. Many.

Thanks for the tips everyone. Sorry for the delayed response.

I'm reading a lot about going on these organised Pintxos bar crawls. Any experiences?

we did one with san sebastian food

it was really interesting as you do get more info and the good guides know what each place specialises in and will be aware of very seasonal pinxtos. though it is hard to find bad food, though they can show you truly excellent things.

i'd suggest use a guide for your first evening and then diy for another few. that is how we did it (apart from also going to 2 places with 3 michelin stars)

I've said for years that if I ever contract anything seriously nasty, then I'll sell everything I own and go to San Seb and slowly but surely eat myself to death.

Thanks! And people say Bilbao itself is not amazing, including one Bilbao native I know, so maybe only spend one night there?

Also, as we've only got 7 days max, is it worth getting the ferry one way for added leisure points?

there are bikes for hire and great mountain biking and road riding in the area

i got a nice road bike for a day which was one way to slightly atone for my over eating!

Bilbao's a great city. The regeneration of it has been replicated since and is rather unsurprisingly referred to as "the Bilbao effect". Loads to see and do - the Gugg itself is well worth a visit.

There's a Pintxo bar not far from it which has all the hardhats of the guys involved in the conctruction, including that of Frank Gehry.

Personally I'd avoid the ferry. Since living in the UK the missus has only done the ferry crossing once. Once was enough. She has no idea how Ellen Macarthur does it.

Pintxo, crianza and you're well away...

There's some great surfing in those waters. I spent a long summer along that coastline, going up to Hossegor, following the surf and eating the best food in the world (in my opinion). Hired an Orbea for the day, which was nice.

I'd love to do a bit of riding (on or off road - both in a fairly amateur way) but Mrs bleach has lost some of her recreational cycling mojo of late and sold her road bike.

I might be able to persuade her to do a bit of track pootling on hired MTBs or hybrids.

Gentle bump on this as we're going on Saturday.

Any tips for bike hire or bike-related day trips? More gentle MTB and hybrid than serious road riding.

We've got three nights in Bilbao, three nights in San Sebastian.

Head to Casco Viejo in the old part of Bilbao and go to Victor Montes.

Not the cheapest Pintxo bar, but super cool. Order a couple of crianças and a raçion of little green peppers and baby squid. Food heaven.

How dos this go? Did you enjoy it?

I'm still here! I got food poisoning and it's rained pretty much solidly but otherwise ok. Will report back later in full.

I got food poisoning

Dear oh dear. All that fapping about tapas up there^ and this happens.

Shoulda stayed in dear old blighty you ponce.

It's not tapas, you philistine. It's pintxos...

You pratt, you bit the bait.

It's no laughing matter if the man's suffering from the dribblies.

Largely cleared up now, but walking into a b ar and seeing it laden with headcheese, anchovy and blue cheese pintxos still turns the stomach, even several days after the worst of it.

Headcheese would turn my stomach too.

Last year I cycled the basque county fixed gear!! One of the most beautiful places! The roads are just something out of this world!! Bilbao is just something!! You have to go and see the big flower dog! Try and keep to the coast roads as they take your breath away and pass through the little villages and town. Remember everything shuts about 12.30 1ish so get lunch early! Be aware of the weather as it can change in a split second! Have fun and enjoy!! If you need any help with staying in places just ask! Heads up in the old town bit of Bilbao there is a small bar that does best sangria I have ever had also local wines for €2 a glass!! I can't remember what its called but its near the water front and look out for Packman in bule or red above the door opposite the bar!! Its where all the Spanish go!! I loved them roads fixed gear!!!!!!!! Thanks